The first question you need to ask for your mobile strategy

This mobile thing is pretty easy isn’t it? Build an app, throw it up on iTunes and watch the money or downloads come streaming in. Piece of cake.

This happens, but only to a select few and most of these seemingly over night successes have had many, if not dozens, of over night failures. The fruits of all those failures have led them to the one success you are seeing right now.

As a business, can you really afford all those failures before hitting the mark?

This isn’t a five year strategy

Predicting what this industry is going to look like and how it will impact your company in 5 years is crazy. You might have a feeling or an idea of how it will evolve based on the current status but thinking that far into the future and trying to build towards it today will leave your mobile initiatives stalled.

Just think back 5 years and tell me you would have predicted where we are today and how pervasive mobile is today.

The key is to start

Don’t wait. Most companies are paralyzed when it comes to mobile. Or worse yet, they are just simply doing what everyone else is doing – neither of which is good.

If you are stuck trying to figure out where to start you aren’t asking the right questions. The very first strategic question to ask is a simple one: Are you going to use mobile to extend your brand to existing customers or are you going to use mobile to find new ones? The answer to this one question will chart your course and give you a direction.

There is no shortage of opportunity and no business on the planet that shouldn’t be engaging in mobile in varying degrees so what’s stopping you? Take the first step, answer the first question and start moving.

About the author

Rob Woodbridge

I'm Rob, the founder of UNTETHER.tv and I've spent 14 years immersed in the mobile and pervasive computing world. During this great time I've helped some of the most innovative companies grow their business through mobile. If you are in need of a mobile business advisor or coach, connect with me here to get things rolling.